This invention relates to an electrical connector and, in particular, to an electrical connector in which an insulator holding a contact is provided with a shell attached thereto.
For example, an electrical connector of the type is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (JP-A) No. 2003-7408. The electrical connector comprises a plurality of conductive terminals arranged in a predetermined direction, an insulator holding the terminals, a shell attached to an outer surface of the insulator, and a plate-like conductive ground portion extending in the predetermined direction. The ground portion and the shell are formed into an integral structure. Therefore, the number of parts is reduced and the operation of attaching these parts to the insulator is not troublesome. Upon connection, a mating member is inserted between each terminal and the ground portion. In order to establish contact between the mating member and the ground portion, the ground portion is provided with a protrusion protruding towards a region into which the mating member is inserted. Therefore, the mating member can be electrically connected not only to each terminal but also to the shell via the ground portion.
However, since the ground portion has no elasticity, sufficient contact may not be achieved between the protrusion of the ground portion and the mating member. If contact between the protrusion and the mating member is insufficient, the shell is not electrically connected to the mating member so that predetermined electric characteristics can not be obtained. In view of the above, use may be made of a structure in which the mating member is strongly contacted with the protrusion of the ground portion. In this case, the mating member is strongly contacted with each terminal also. Accordingly, a contacting portion of each terminal may be damaged.